Bag stringing needle



April 24, 1945. E. E'. WE ST 2,374573 BAG STRINGING NEEDLE Filed Jan. 26, 1942 ture therefor; i

guiding means therefor;

Patented Apr. 24, 1945 n This invention relatesto improvements "in stringing needles for stringing hemmed bags.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide stringing needles having improved mean associated therewith" for clamping strings therein to assure of thejhemmed bags being accuratelyst'rung.

Another bbject is the provision of stringing needles having improved string gripping means thereon and cooperating means forguidingand assur 2 'slidabl y sleevedon tem -seed, horizontally positioned, guide tracks 3jsuitably fixedly connected at their outer ends in the top frame of the stringing machine, not shown,

ing of the uniformanid' accurate clamping of the strings. l i t a J A further object isto provide stringing needles which "constitute an improvement ofthe needles disclosed in my Patent Nox2,274,c22.

i These and other objects anda'dvantags will be apparent as the specification is considered with the accompanying drawing; wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bagstringing needles and a portion of the operating struc- Figure 2 is an enlargedsideelevation of a modified form of stringing-needles in string grippingposition;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3'of Figure 4, howing the needle in string receiving position; Figure lis a section'onfthe"1ine4+-4 of Fig ure2;" l

Figure is adetachedperspective ofthe cooperating needle shank memberand sleeve, and the flhe needles comprise two longitudinally extending substantially parallel, hollow; sleeves 4, the inner ends of which are rigidly supported in a block orp1ate5, sliitablyeecured.by screws '6 to the toppf theneedle saddle 2 andtwo pointed members 1 slidabl r arrangedwithin'the sleeves 4 and projecting throughthe forward ends there? of, for reciprocating movement relative thereto. The forward ends of theneedle'members l, in the form illustrated injFigures' lfjto 51er pointed, as at"9, and these pointedends are preferably cut away on the tops thereof, as at I 0', to form string receiving openings or: recesses having relatively flat, bottom and sidestring engaging walls. I I and 12, res ect vely. Reciprocation tor, the, needle members 1,f forwardly through the sleeves 4, {moves the relativelyfiat rear walls Be f the pointed needle members 1 away from and out ofabutting engagement withthe relatively flat forward ends Mfofthe sleeves 4Q "I'hecut out portionsll) con-, stitute string receiving openings forth'e insertion .of draw strings I 5, Whenthe members 1 are moved rearwardly to closed or string gripping position,the relatively fla't rear walls thereof 'willengage with the flatforward ends I 4 of the sleeves, and thestrings I5 will be clampedin the openings or recesses [0, between thewall's lZand Figure 6 is a side elevation" of the preferred form of string needle shankmember and sleeve, showing 'theneedle in string gripping position:

,"Figure 7 is a section of the preferred form of needle, illustrated in Figure 6: i i Figure 8 is a sectionon thelin 8 8 of Figure'T: t t .1

Figure 9i s'a side elevation of afurther modified form of stringing needle shank inernher and sleeve, showing the sition;:and

needle in string gripping pomodified form of endsfM; respectively. As it is"essentia1jthat the string receiving recesses I0be disposed and 1?- tained in the upper faces of the needl's at "all times, in order to assure of the uniform and 'a'ccurate positioning andgripping of thestrings therein, vertically disposedfekeys l5 are intelike parts throughout the several views. the numom! I denotes astringing needle carriage of a bag stringing machine: not shown, for threading a pair of gripping needles and draw strings carried therebythrough the hems of tobacco bags and the like, described and i lustrated n my Patent No. 2,274,522, "February 24;, 194-2; The string ing needle carria e l comprises a relatively flat.

substantially rectangular needle saddle'or plate rallv formed. on the lower portibn of the members T. The keysextendlongitudinally and rearwardly from th walls [3 and areadaptd to slidablv fitwithinslots or keyways l 'l inthe underside and forward ends of the sleeves Thuaduringthe reciprocation ofthememb'ers I through the sleeves, the keysLI"6 thereof fmove withinLtheslots I1 and the needle points Ware prevented from rotating relatively with respect to the sleeves. This interconnectingmeans 'jalso has the advantageof s trengtheningthe needle and preventing breakage thereof atthestring receiving gap. it Y The needlesaddle fis reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly on the guide tracks '3, to move the needles through the hems of a bag, by anylsuit able means, suchfas avertically disposedlever,

not shown, pivotally connectedatitsupper' end slight sliding movement relative thereto.

to an arm I8, in turn pivoted to the rear end of the saddle 2. The lever is rocked to reciprocate the saddle, through the medium of a cam, not shown, which operating mechanism is described and illustrated in my pending application, Serial No. 250,223, now issued in Patent No.

The rear ends of the members I are fixed within a small block l8, mounted on the needle saddle 2 and movably, connected by a pair of spring tensionedpins I9 to the saddle block 5, for The block I8 is forwardly actuated, against the tension of spring 20, mounted on the pins I9, by any suitable means, such as a small cam 22 carried by one end of a crank 2|, supported in a pair of journal blocks 23, secured to the rear end of needle saddle 2. The free end of the crank 2| is periodically actuated, by any suitable means, not shown, to force the cam 22 against and reciprocate the needle block Iii, relative to the needle saddle 2, in an obvious manner.

-When the end of a string is fed across the needles, the same is gripped, pulled out to the length necessary for service as a draw string, and cut or severed, by any suitable means not shown, such as that shown and described in my Patent No. 2,274,622, hereinbeforereferred to. The two part needles then advance and carry the severed string section through the bag hems. While the strin rear walls l3 of the needle points 9 are moved away from, or out of engagement with the flat forward ends I4 of the sleeves. The tension of the spr ngs then movesthe block'IB' rearwardly and retractsthe members Tin the sleeves 4. so thatthe flattened rearends I3 of the needle points 9 are moved into abutting engagement with theflattened forwardends I4 of the sleeves, and

the string I5 is securely gripped or clamped between the ends I4 and walls I2 of the sleeves and string openings. The needle saddle, i then moved forwardly, alongthe'guide tracks 3, to carry the needlesleeves land-pointed members I, in. closed gripping position, through the hems of a bag.

' As the string l5 is-gripped by the needles, during the feeding of the same through-the bag hems. the string cannot slip through or be" withdrawn from the needles and the-bag hems are assured of being accurately and uniformly strung.

In theform of my needle, illustratedin Figures 6 and '7, the needlesleeves 4 are-formed with pointed ends 26, and members I are slidably arranged therein. A-relatively deep, transverse slot or recess 21 is formed in the sleeves 4, adjacent the pointed ends 26 thereof; The upper end of the slot is tapered and enlarged, as at 28, and the side wall-29 'of the slot is substantially fiat. Thus, when a string is extended across the needles, the same will be-disposed within the slots 21, and whenthe needle shanks 1 are moved to closed position, upon thecamz22 moving the block I8 and members 1, the relatively fiat forward ends 3!! of the members 1 will engage the string and the latter will be securely clamped, between'the ends 3!! and walls 29; It will, Of'COulSB,be understood that in this embodiment the crank 2| will be periodicallyactuated to force the cam .22 against the needle block I 8', to reciprocate the latter against the needle saddle 2, to push the members I forwardly to grip the string within the slots 21. In other words, the cam 22 functions to move the member I to closed gripping position, whereas in the form, illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the cam actuates the members I to open position.

In the modification of the needle shown in Figures 9 and 10, wherein the needle sleeves 4 are provided with the pointed ends 26. A substantially U-shaped, transverse slot 3! is formed in the sleeves 4 to the rear of the pointed ends, 25 thereof, which slot 3| is adapted to coact with a correspondin substantially U-shaped transverse slot32, .in the members I, adjacent their forward ends, to receive a string. The slots 32 in the members I are aligned with the slots iii in the sleeve so that; when the string is fed across the needles, the string will enter and be disposed within the slots 3| and 32. Movement of the needles to closed gripping position, in the same manner as the needle movement of the modification illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 causes one wall of each slot 32 to bear against the strin and clamp the latter against the corresponding wall of the sleeve sl-ot, 3I. Thus the strings are uniformly and securely clamped in the needles.

Having thus described my invention what I claimis: g

l. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character described having a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a shank portion and a cooperating longitudinally and centrally bored pointed tube sleeved over said shank portion, said tubes each having a string receiving groove therein, one wall of which has a sub stantially flat face in axial alinement with the bore of thetube, said grooves substantially intersecting and communicating with the bores of said tubes and means for moving said shank portions through said cooperating sleeved'tubes,

the ends of saidshank portions cooperating with said flat faces of said string receiving grooves f0 clamping a string therein.

2. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character. described having a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a shank portion and a cooperating centrally bored pointed tube sleeved over said shank portion, said tube having a string receiving groove in the upper face thereof, one wall of the groove being substantially fiat and in axial alinement with said bore, the end of said shank portions being substantially fiat and movable into said grooves and engageable with the strings for clamping the latter therein against said fiat'wall.

3. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character described comprising a pair of stringing needles, each of "said needles comprising a shank portion and a cooperating pointed longitudinally bored tube sleeved over said shank'portion, said tube having a relatively deep string receiving slot in the upper face thereof and ex tending a considerable distance into said bore, said slot having a substantially flat wall in axial alinement with the said bore the ends of said shank portions being movable through said bores into said slots and engageable with the strings for clamping the latter therein against said substantially flat walls.

4. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character described having a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a shank portion and a cooperating centrally bored tube sleeved over said shank portion, saidtube and shank portion having laterally extending string receiving grooves therein aligned with each other and communicating with said bore, and automatic intermittently actuated means for moving said shank portions through said cooperatin tubes for clamping a string in said string receiving grooves.

ating tubes to bring said grooves into alignment and for clamping a string in said cooperating aligned string receiving grooves.

8L A bag stringing mechanism of the character described comprising needle mechanism for inserting a string into the hem of a bag and comprising a string carrying needle consisting of a 5. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character described having a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a shank portion and a centrally bored cooperating pointed tube sleeved over said shank portion, said tube and shank portion having substantially U shaped Wardly of their front ends, and means for moving said shank portions through said cooperating therein.

1 6. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character describedhaving a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a shank portion and a centrally bored cooperating tube sleeved over said shank-portion, saidtube having a needle point formed with a string receiving groove therein, said groove extending transversely through the upper portion of the tube and extending substantially through and terminating at its base in the bore of the tube, automatic intermittently actuated means for moving said shank portions through said cooperating sleeved tubes, said groove having an end wall rearwardly of said needle point and said wall having a flat portion axially aligned with the bore of said tube, and

l means on said shank portions cooperating with said string receiving grooves for clamping a string string receiving slots therein adjacent but reartubes to bring said slots into substantial alinement with each other and for clamping a string portion cooperating with said flat outer end wall of said string receiving groove for clamping a string against said wall. i

9. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described comprising needle mechanism for inserting a string in the hem of a bag and com-- prising a string carrying needle consisting of a shank portion and a cooperating centrally bored tube sleeved over said shank portion, said shank portion having a substantially fiat string gripping surface adjacent its forward end, said tube having a needle point and formed with a transverse string receiving groove having its base in the wallof the tube in intersecting relation to the bore thereof,

said transverse groove having a string gripping V and out of the hem and in timed relation theretherein and against the flat portions of said walls.

7. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character described having a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a, shank portion and a centrally bored cooperating pointed and shank portions each having a cooperating string receiving groove therein, and means for moving said shank portions through said coopertube sleeved over said shank portion, said tube surface cooperating with the string gripping surface on said shank portion, automatically operative means for jointly shifting said members into with relatively shifting said shank portion and tube to grip the string between thestring gripping surface of the shank and the string grippin surface of said transverse groove prior to the passage of the needle into the hemof the bag and for releasing said string after the passage of the needle into the hem.

EDWARD E. WEST. 

